1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to a body board, and in particular, to a body board having a pair of selectively removable or integral extensions, wherein each extension provides a hydrodynamic propulsion surface at the rear of the body board so that fluid impacting on the hydrodynamic surface propels the body board.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recreational aquatic devices, such as body boards or boogie boards, are well known. These devices provide a buoyant surface on which a person lies, sits, or stands. The user propels the body board by paddling, kicking and/or by positioning the body board in front of an incoming wave so that the body board surfs down the front of the wave. To use a conventional body board, the user lies on the body board so that the upper torso is supported by the body board. The user positions the board relative to the incoming wave so that as a wave lifts the body board, gravity propels the body board enabling the body board and rider to surf down the face of the wave. Using a body board in this manner requires a great degree of skill and expertise in order to position the body board properly relative to the incoming waves and to maneuver the board when on the wave so as to continue surfing the wave while the wave progresses toward shore.
Less experienced users of a conventional body board, such as children and individuals who are unable to swim, are unable to use the above-described conventional body board to surf an incoming wave. Instead, less experienced users tend to lie or sit on the conventional body board and let the crashing waves propel the body board forward. When using a conventional body board in this manner, the propulsion force imparted on the body board and user comes from force of the waves impacting on the rear surface of the body board as well as on the rearward facing surface of the user. However, when using a body board in this manner, the propulsive force imparted on the body board is relatively small due to the small surface area against which the incoming waves impact.
In addition, inexperienced body board users have difficultly maintaining their balance on a conventional body board, especially as the waves impact on the body board and user, due to the instability of conventional body boards.
Other conventional aquatic devices, such as those taught by U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,865,985 and 1,315,267, include a device attached to the underside of a floating surfboard. When the speed of the water rushing under the craft is greater than the speed of the craft, the device attached to the underside of the draft actuates so as to provide an obstacle against which the rushing water impacts for propelling the craft.
In the conventional aquatic devices described immediately above, the mechanical device is attached to the underside of the surfboard. As a result of this configuration, the device attached to the underside of the surfboard must necessarily be movable so that when the surfboard is moving at least as fast as the rushing water, the device is moved to a position whereby drag is reduced so that the device does not slow down the surfboard. Providing a moving mechanical device complicates the manufacture of the surfboard. In addition, the device may not reliably operate, can be easily damage, and will likely wear out over time.